(Las Vegas) The organizers of the NHL draft took advantage of their visit to the Sphere in Las Vegas to introduce a new feature: a siren accompanied by a 360-degree projection to announce a transaction.
Updated yesterday at 9:48 p.m.
The siren didn’t sound often on Friday night, during the first round. It was quite the opposite on Saturday. And it started very early, when the second round was barely starting and the journalists on site had not finished their first coffee.
The Tampa Bay Lightning caused a stir in the room. The Florida organization traded Mikhail Sergachev to the new Utah team, obtaining in exchange defenseman JJ Moser, center Conor Geekie as well as two draft picks.
Just a few minutes later, another siren, again courtesy of the Lightning. This time, we learned that Tanner Jeannot was flying to Los Angeles, at the cost of two draft picks.
PHOTO STEVE MARCUS, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Announcement of a transaction in the Sphere, in Las Vegas
In a matter of moments, the Lightning, caught by the throat on the salary level, freed up more than 11 million for the 2024-2025 season.
It was initially thought that the money would be used primarily to retain the services of captain Steven Stamkos, who will become an unrestricted free agent on Monday if he does not sign a new deal by then.
Crossed by the representative of The Pressgeneral manager Julien BriseBois was not very optimistic on this subject, adding that he was sharpening his “war chest” in view of the opening of the free agent market.
Later, the manager clarified to Tampa reporters that he expected Stamkos to test the market. Various media have also reported that the team had entered the race to attract Jake Guentzel, who finished the season with the Carolina Hurricanes.
No matter how the free agent file evolves, BriseBois will have minimally succeeded in giving himself some room to maneuver, but also in solidifying the future of his club. In Geekie, he acquires a high-ranking prospect, drafted in the first round (11e in total) just two years ago by the Arizona Coyotes, who have since relocated to Utah.
Through his two trades, he also acquired two second-round picks in 2025, a rare bounty for an organization that has frantically traded away high picks in recent years to keep its Stanley Cup hopes alive.
A breath of fresh air in Utah
In Utah, the time for change has definitely come.
In Sergachev, the NHL’s newest franchise has found the centerpiece of its defense. The 26-year-old Russian, drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in 2015 before being traded to the Lightning the following year in exchange for Jonathan Drouin, has established himself as a fixture in Tampa, where he participated in the Stanley Cup conquests of 2020 and 2021.
His current contract, still valid for seven years, comes with a no-trade clause which is due to come into effect on Monday 1is July. He will earn an average of 8.5 million per season until 2031.
By making its acquisition, Utah confirmed the break with the austerity imposed in Arizona in recent years. And as if to reinforce this idea, general manager Bill Armstrong moved again a few moments later by getting his hands on John Marino, from the New Jersey Devils, for two second-round picks.
A breath of fresh air is definitely coming from Salt Lake City, and a few hours before the opening of the free agent market, the identity of the squad could still change. For the best, of course.
Hyperactive Devils and Knights
While it was known that Marino was likely to be traded, the Devils caused quite the surprise by sending forward Alexander Holtz and goaltender Akira Schmid to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for backup forward Paul Cotter and a 2025 third-round pick.
The Devils have therefore given up on their hopes of seeing Holtz become a dominant player in the NHL. The former first-round pick (7e overall in 2020) was limited to 28 points in 82 games last season, his first full season on the circuit. As for Schmid, he lost feathers in the goaltending hierarchy in New Jersey after the acquisitions of veterans Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, ARCHIVES LA PRESSE
Akira Schmid has been traded to the Golden Knights.
The Swiss could become Adin Hill’s backup starting next season, as the Knights traded Logan Thompson to the Washington Capitals for two third-round picks. Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon later revealed that Thompson had requested a trade.
Elsewhere in the NHL, the Pittsburgh Penguins acquired center Kevin Hayes and a second-round pick for future compensation. And the Toronto Maple Leafs traded a 2026 seventh-round pick and a minor-league player to the Dallas Stars for the negotiating rights to defenseman Christopher Tanev before he becomes an unrestricted free agent.
